● Low-income families are three times more likely to have claims of neglect substantiated after investigation. ● Studies reveal higher rates of substantiated claims after investigation for children of color, these children are more likely to be placed in the foster system, and they are less likely to be reunited with their family of origin. ● Children of color are more likely to be removed from the home due to neglect than for physical or sexual abuse due to factors related to poverty including unemployment, single parenthood, food insecurity, poor housing, and lack of access to medical and childcare. ● Non-White caregivers receive fewer social resources to support the child. has been shown to reduce the impact of bias on decision making. It requires the professional to consider the following when making a decision about whether to file a report with SCR: ● Identify the specific concerns about the specific situation. ● Gather sufficient information about the current situation. ● Analyze that information to separate facts from assumptions. ● Recognize the possibility of bias in your opinion. ● Do not make premature judgements. ● Develop multiple hypotheses that could explain the situation and evaluate their possibility. ● Determine whether you are legally obligated to file a report with SCR or whether there are other alternatives that would adequately address the situation. Healthcare consideration: Implicit and explicit biases have the potential to impact decisions about mandated reporting. Providers must intentionally and critically analyze their own beliefs to ensure that personal biases are not influencing the decision to report.
to mistreat their children than White families (Lee et al., 2022). This suggests that decisions by mandated reporters may unconsciously rely on preexisting biases about racial groups. Implicit bias may impact the decision to make a report against one caregiver and not another even when the objective facts are the same. Many disparities in the child welfare system have been identified: ● The definition or abuse and neglect varies among professionals. ● Poverty and low-income status alone do not indicate neglect or abuse, yet lower income families are overrepresented in the child welfare system. Strategies to reduce the impact of bias The decision to file a report with the New York Statewide Central Register (SCR) has a significant impact on the child and their family. The potential for explicit and implicit bias in decision making must be acknowledged and evaluated prior to a report to ensure that one’s biases are not unduly influencing the decision to report. Consider whether the needs of the child and family can be met in other ways, such as through available community resources. Do not jump to conclusions or make assumptions that a child is being abused or neglected without first critically evaluating all facts. Self-reflect on whether the decision to report would change if any of the following were different (New York State Mandated Reporter, n.d.d): ● Race. ● Gender or gender identity.
● Sexual orientation or expression. ● Culture or immigration status. ● Religion. ● Primary spoken language. ● Age. ● Neighborhood where they reside. ● Presence of a disability. ● Socioeconomic status of the family.
If the decision to report would change based on any of these factors, then implicit or explicit bias may be having an impact. Critical thinking
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